331. Father, Thy Sovereign Love Has Sought

L.M.
by J.N. Darby, 1880
1
Father, Thy sovereign love has sought
 
Captives to sin, gone far from Thee;
 
The work that Thine own Son hath wrought
 
Has brought us back in peace and free.
2
And now as sons before Thy face,
 
With joyful steps the path we tread,
 
Which leads us on to that blest place
 
Prepared for us by Christ our Head.
“To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” (Galatians 4:5)
“Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10)
“In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2)
“And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” (Colossians 1:18)
3
Thou gav’st us, in eternal love,
 
To Him to bring us home to Thee,
 
Suited to Thine own thought above,
 
As sons like Him, with Him to be
“I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.” (John 17:6)
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2)
“Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (1 Thessalonians 4:17)
4
In Thine own house. There love divine
 
Fills the bright courts with cloudless joy;
 
But ’tis the love that made us Thine,
 
Fills all that house without alloy.
“Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Psalm 16:11)
5
Oh boundless grace! what fills with joy
 
Unmingled all that enter there,
 
God’s nature, love without alloy,
 
Our hearts are given e’en now to share.
“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (2 Peter 1:4)
6
God’s righteousness with glory bright,
 
Which with its radiance fills that sphere,
 
E’en Christ, of God the power and light,
 
Our title is that light to share.
“But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:24)
“Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.” (Colossians 1:12)
7
Oh mind divine, so must it be
 
That glory all belongs to God:
 
Oh love divine, that did decree
 
We should be part, through Jesus’ blood.
“For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36)
“Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:17)
8
Oh keep us, love divine, near Thee,
 
That we our nothingness may know,
 
And ever to Thy glory be
 
Walking in faith while here below.
“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” (Romans 7:18)
“(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)” (2 Corinthians 5:7)
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Little Flock Hymnbook Index